Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE

If you're like me and aren't good at marketing, don't do it on your own. Let the experts handle it. Touch HERE for more on Turnkey Marketing.

Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one is happening in Dallas Texas, September 10-12. Learn more HERE

When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!

In this episode, Mike Allen sits down with Jordan Mosely to talk about growth, technology, and the realities of running a multi-location business. Jordan shares how sticking to a proven playbook has helped him scale his quick lube and hybrid locations, and explains why obsessing over small cost details—like labor and materials—makes a huge impact on the bottom line. The conversation also dives into the pain (and promise) of current AI and software integrations, when Mike and Jordan both agree that the right technology is important, but execution, adaptation, and focusing on the basics are what truly drive success.

Timestamps:
00:00 Covered wagons and old-school shop software
02:14 What really goes down at shop events and happy hours
03:15 Playbooks and the secret to sticking with a process
04:14 The quick lube model vs. full-service auto repair
05:48 Learning from industry “gurus” and finding what works
06:38 Car wash business models and subscription secrets
08:09 Breaking down car wash economics and margins
09:26 Pennies make the profit: expense structure and labor
10:22 Why every phone call counts—and how much fumbled calls really cost
12:04 AI cameras, call reviews, and upgrading shop tech
12:41 Why onboarding new AI tools is painful (but worth it)
14:00 Using Rilla, custom AI, and making tech work for your team
16:28 Are unified shop platforms possible—or is it always 19 subscriptions?
18:42 The challenges of double-entry and why Tekmetric stands out
20:54 Tectonic event review: what a professional trade show looks like
22:24 Fixing cars vs. trying to code your own AI: why you should pick a lane
24:00 Confessions about chaos, change—and the need for therapy
26:14 Dealing with online haters in the auto industry
27:16 Remote and virtual advisors: the future, or a flop?
30:07 The “sales hammer” model and selling from afar
31:49 What happens when you try to run a fully remote shop
32:35 Why execution is everything for new shop models
34:42 20 groups, private equity, and the independent shop owner line
36:44 Why big shop owners show up at trade shows
38:14 Confession time: Subaru oil change disasters and red flags
39:25 High turnover in quick lube—onboarding and training struggles
40:05 Why you need to launch that training, even if it’s not perfect
41:57 What’s next: acquiring more stores, riding the oil price wave, and 1% daily improvement

Keep shop management, payments, marketing (all the things) all in one place with Tekmetric. It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Click HERE

Turnkey Marketing has made my life SOOO much simpler, AND they've helped keep the phone ringing. Do you need these two things too? Learn more HERE

When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!

Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one is happening in Dallas Texas, September 10-12. Learn more HERE

For years I thought I could handle the hiring process on my own. But, after far too many bad hires, it was clear I needed help. Promotive came through for me with a rock star hire in just a few days and I couldn't be happier. Swallow your pride and bring in Promotive for that open position you have at your shop today. You can thank me later. Learn more HERE

In this episode, Mike and Matt talk about how to find and commit to a core operational identity—rather than constantly chasing new ideas or industry trends. True success comes from consistent execution of a strategy you believe in. You will NEVER underestimate the value of training, coaching, and leveraging proven systems like EOS or similar frameworks to help owners and employees gain clarity, stay accountable, and ultimately grow a sustainable, profitable business.

Timestamps:
00:00 Shop Owner Myths: $200 an Hour and the Truth about Starting Out
02:19 Celebrating Good Months
04:11 Best Month Yet—Sales Up, Staff Changes & a New Advisor
06:40 Fixing What Was Broken: Process, Accountability & a Data-Driven Turnaround
07:54 ARO Jumps by 20%—Here’s How They Did It
08:27 DVI Process Overhaul: Getting Real Numbers and Customer Buy-In
10:12 Tech Average Quotes—Setting and Hitting Profitable Targets
11:08 Maintenance Sales Struggles & Industry-Wide Challenges
12:23 Next Steps: Boosting Closing Ratios and Ongoing Advisor Training
13:09 Sales Presentation, Confidence & Learning to Overcome Objections
14:34 Regional Training Events: Why Travel Matters & Team Building
15:07 Bridging the Owner-Employee Gap: Training Techs & Advisors for Buy-In
17:20 Why Private Equity Buys Shops—Math, Mindset & Community Impact
20:19 Winning as an Independent: Local Presence, Team Culture, and Staff Retention
21:48 Training Takeaways: Eye-Opening Insights for Non-Owners
23:14 P&L and Labor Rate Workshops—Should Your Team Bring Their Books?
24:32 Shop Pay Plans & Real Labor Cost Realities
26:22 $350,000 Techs: The Truth Behind the Numbers & What’s Possible in Your Market
28:19 Pay, Value, and Raising Rates: What Customers Need to See
30:30 McDonald’s Drive-Thru vs. Customer Perception: Value & Expectations
31:33 Bringing Training In-House: Hosting Courses for Your Shop and Community
34:30 EOS, Traction, Rocket Fuel: Finding a System that Clicks
36:10 Visionary vs. Integrator: Why Every Shop Owner Should Read These Books
38:45 Team Structure, Core Genius, and the Power of Discipline
41:08 Identity Crisis? Finding (and Loving) Your Shop’s Unique Advantage
43:53 Don’t Change the Recipe—Simplicity and Full Commitment Win
46:43 Basketball Offense & Building the Right Team for YOUR System
48:46 Discipline, Focus & How Elite Shop Owners Set Themselves Apart
51:21 Quality Management Systems: Lessons from Manufacturing
52:15 Finding the Right Coach & System—Any Structure Beats None
53:46 Elon Musk Clarity: Vision, Discipline, and Blocking Out the Noise

Tekmetric opened my eyes to just how much a good SMS will do for a shop. Their software is top of the line, and with them, so is my shop. Try them for yourself HERE

My marketing before and after signing up with Turnkey Marketing is pretty scary. In a good way. Get your marketing right today HERE

Make your techs happier with Detect Auto. They'll stop getting "check noise" or "check vibration" from advisors with the customer concern tool. It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Book a demo HERE

Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one is happening in Dallas Texas, September 10-12. Learn more HERE

In this episode, Chris Gayne shares stories from his transition out of a military career and into shop ownership, including the accidental founding of Dale County Diesel. The conversation dives deep into the difference between running a transactional versus a relational business, emphasizing the value of building real connections with customers and staff.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Transactional vs Relational: What Kind of Shop Are You Running?
02:31 – From Military Flight Instructor to Shop Owner: Chris’s Journey
06:43 – Surviving a Helicopter Crash (& What It Teaches You about Mistakes)
14:02 – Leadership in the Shop: Lessons from Army to Auto Bay
19:26 – Why Good Techs Deserve the Right Work—and Right Culture
25:09 – How to Handle the “Unfixable”—Being Honest With Your Customers
32:04 – Flat Rate vs Teamwork: What Actually Works?
37:01 – Confession Time: If There’s a Problem in My Shop, It’s Me
44:44 – Hard Policies, Real People: Why Relational Beats Rigidity
49:55 – When to Tell Customers: “It’s Time to Move On from This Truck”
51:06 – Wrap Up: Honesty, Growth, and Call for Your Confessions

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE

Turnkey Marketing takes the stress of doing something I'm not good at off my plate. And gives it to someone who is. Click HERE for more.

Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one is happening in Dallas Texas, September 10-12. Learn more HERE

When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!

What does it take to build a high-performing automotive business that continues to grow while maintaining a strong culture?

In this episode, Mike Allen sits down with Matt Curry and Richard Tonetti from Craftsman Auto Care to discuss the systems, leadership philosophies, and growth strategies that helped build one of the industry's most respected shop groups. Matt shares lessons learned from growing to 10 locations and $18 million in revenue, including the importance of culture, leadership, sales training, digital inspections, and customer reviews.

Timestamps:
00:00 The $1 Raise That Changed Everything
01:14 Are 4-Day Workweeks Actually Hurting Your Business?
03:41 Why “Money Motivated” Isn’t a Dirty Word
06:46 From Tire Changer to VP: Growth Stories from the Shop Floor
07:16 Matt’s Path: 10 Stores, $18 Million, and a Comeback
09:13 The Secret Sauce: Buying Distressed Shops & Turning Them Around
10:36 How to Hit $1,000 Average ROs (and Why Volume Per Bay Matters)
11:02 The Turning Point: Digital Inspections & Sales Training
13:29 Being the Best Shop Cheerleader—Even on Bad Days
14:11 Making the Hard Work Fun (Yes, It’s Possible!)
19:00 Sales Scripts, Objection Handling, and The “One More Thing” Rule
20:05 How to Hire the Perfect Counter Person (It’s Not About Automotive Experience!)
22:49 Culture vs. Corporate: Why Good Techs Never Leave
25:15 Google Review Domination: Building Trust and Cutting Marketing Costs
28:20 Spiffs, Friendly Competition, and Making Reviews a Shop Habit
32:10 Small Gestures, Big Impact: The Stuffed Animal Touch
35:13 Why Internal Competition Works—But Only with the Right Culture
37:46 When Growth Kills Culture (And How to Avoid It)
40:36 Can Independents Still Win? Opportunity in a Corporate, Tech-Heavy Landscape
43:27 The Blueprint: Build Slow, Build Right, Stay Nimble
45:17 Level Up: Giving Back and Training the Next Generation
47:04 Growing Your Own Techs & Locking Down Quarter-Million Dollar Talent

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE

If you're like me and aren't good at marketing, don't do it on your own. Let the experts handle it. Touch HERE for more on Turnkey Marketing.

Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one is happening in Dallas Texas, September 10-12. Learn more HERE

When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!

This episode is Mikeless - just how we like it. HA! Today Bryan rides solo at TOOLS 2026 and talks dynamics between technicians and service advisors Andrew Fischer. They bring up the importance of fundamentals and communication—technicians often overlook basic testing but expect to dive into advanced diagnostics, leading to costly mistakes and frustration. They also talk about ego and misunderstanding: both between team members in the shop and toward customers, highlighting how crucial it is to clearly explain repairs and processes, not just rely on expertise.

Timestamps:
00:00 The real hardest job in the shop: service advisor confessions
03:08 Training struggles, being away from family, and the reality of evening classes
05:02 Why owners MUST vet what you’re paying for in auto training
07:11 Technicians skipping fundamentals—and how it comes back to bite your shop
10:20 Ego, ignorance, and the "alphabet soup" of tech skill levels
13:13 Fast techs vs fixed cars: the hidden cost of comebacks and efficiency
16:19 Communicating diagnostics: where most techs screw up (and how AI helps)
19:06 Why the front counter is pure chaos—and techs can’t handle customers
21:13 Explaining diagnoses in a way anyone can understand (with help from AI)
25:26 The service advisor’s secret: what customers REALLY want to know
28:12 The "zip code" analogy for why testing matters
30:28 Shops that charge for time vs selling fixed vehicles—who really wins?
32:40 Real-life story: four shops, still not fixed (and how a dead battery fooled them all)
34:35 What to do when you just can’t fix the car (real talk and lessons learned)
41:33 The problem with technician forums & why the smartest avoid them
44:28 Why most technicians will never be ready for business ownership
47:46 Full circle: gratitude, getting humbled, and growing as a leader
50:02 What every technician NEEDS to understand before running a shop

Keep shop management, payments, marketing (all the things) all in one place with Tekmetric. It will CHANGE YOUR LIFE. Click HERE

Turnkey Marketing has made my life SOOO much simpler, AND they've helped keep the phone ringing. Do you need these two things too? Learn more HERE

When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!

Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one is happening in Dallas Texas, September 10-12. Learn more HERE

For years I thought I could handle the hiring process on my own. But, after far too many bad hires, it was clear I needed help. Promotive came through for me with a rock star hire in just a few days and I couldn't be happier. Swallow your pride and bring in Promotive for that open position you have at your shop today. You can thank me later. Learn more HERE

In this episode, Mike Allen sits down with Adam Rath, owner of a repair shop in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Adam tackles the challenge of adapting business models to different communities, emphasizing that what works in one area may not work in another. They also explore the importance of process efficiency, particularly in estimate building and digital vehicle inspections. Adam also talks about his role with the ASOG mastermind group, highlighting how peer support and structured programs can help struggling shop owners build a solid foundation.

Timestamps:
00:00 Efficient Estimates vs. Wasting Time
01:31 Podcast Tech Upgrades and Recording on the Road
03:03 Behind-the-Scenes: Touring Craftsman Auto Care
04:01 Coaching Models: Origins and Overlaps
06:00 Meet Adam Rath & the Reality of Shop Locations
08:08 Coaching Myths: "That Won’t Work in My Town"
09:00 Different Markets, Different Rules
11:16 The 300% Rule: Double-Edged Sword
12:33 Are You Sticker-Shocking Your Clients?
13:33 Presenting Estimates the Smart Way
14:09 DVI Tools and Estimating Efficiency
15:24 What Do You Show the Customer?
17:10 Single-Issue Selling: Helpful or "Slimy"?
20:01 Show & Sell: The Theater of Auto Sales
22:52 Roleplaying, Sales Practice, and the J Curve
24:55 Tech Tools: Detect Auto, DVI Speed, and Pain Points
28:40 Remote Estimators: Overseas Teams & Lessons Learned
30:41 The Rise and Fall of Remote Estimate Companies
33:05 EOS Explained: Visionaries vs. Integrators
36:36 Taking the Crystallizer Assessment
38:19 Monthly State of the Company at Adam's Shop
41:20 When the Team Wins—Even Without the Manager
43:13 Building Leadership Skills with the Right Tools
44:57 Adam’s Role in the ASOG Mastermind
46:33 The Mastermind Format & Growth
48:36 Curriculum Overhaul: Tightening the Learning Path
50:36 Live Invoice & Call Audits: Growing through Discomfort
53:43 Why We Break Process (and How to Fix It)
55:15 The Future of the Mastermind: Structure & Guest Coaches
57:10 Shop Fix vs. ASOG: The Coaching Disconnect
59:48 Buffet Approach to Coaching: Take What Works
1:01:47 Guest Coaches, Good Info, and Avoiding Sound Bites
1:04:00 Confession Time: When Employees Just Aren’t a Fit
1:06:23 Shop Culture: The Right People Stay, Others Go
1:07:13 EOS Implementers & Next Steps

Tekmetric transformed my shop. Plain and simple. Want that for yours? Touch HERE

Turnkey Marketing takes the stress of doing something I'm not good at off my plate. And gives it to someone who is. Click HERE for more.

Send your service advisor to hands down the BEST service advisor training in the industry (even other coaching companies agree). It's Elite Worldwide's Masters Program. The next one is happening in Dallas Texas, September 10-12. Learn more HERE

When I used the maintenance tool for the fist time with Detect Auto, my mind was blown. My advisors had the same reaction - and then SO MUCH MORE TIME. Learn more about Detect Auto and book a free demo now!

In this episode, the podcasts collide for a behind the scenes conversation about what goes on on social media. Are the viral reels a good thing or a bad thing? Tonnika Haynes from Downshift with Tonnika, Jeff Compton from the Jaded Mechanic and Bryan Pollock from Confessions of a Shop Owner circle up to have this conversation with Braxton Critcher, the producer of each show. They also get real about the importance of doing the actual work behind the scenes, emphasizing that growth in your business (and in life) comes from putting in consistent effort, not just watching highlight reels.

Timestamps:
00:00 - The uncomfortable truth about podcast discovery and audience habits
01:16 - What happens when podcasts collide—introductions and chaos
02:23 - Behind the scenes: Group chat antics, tools, and industry jokes
03:57 - Social media, reels, and who’s to blame for viral content
05:01 - The power (and pain) of online comments and negative feedback
06:46 - Why social media works for some shops but isn’t for everyone
07:14 - Going viral: 2.4 million views, angry commenters, and riding the algorithm
09:03 - Building a brand: Negativity, growth strategies, and five-year plans
12:33 - Are most people really “spoon fed”? Podcast challenges explained
14:26 - Shop rates, community service, and fixing Chevy trucks for peanuts
17:04 - The “must be nice” attitude and its effect on success and envy
19:01 - Growing beyond your bubble: Why spicy reels are necessary
22:27 - Can podcasts actually change the industry? Or just a few minds?
35:01 - Choosing your hard: Highlight reels, business reality, and keeping perspective
44:21 - Real talk: Same struggles, different zip codes, focus on YOUR growth
49:34 - Excuses vs. results—moving, changing, and finding a way to win
54:37 - Visualization, success stories, and putting in the extra work
59:38 - “Choosing average”: 9-to-5 mentality and salary realities
1:01:09 - Relationships, distractions, and shop staff drama
1:03:21 - The only goal: One shop at a time, one listener at a time.